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There may have been six other children in the McCanns’ holiday apartment the night Madeleine went missing, it was claimed last night.

Detectives now believe that four children of friends were also sleeping there – contradicting what Madeleine’s parents, Kate and Gerry, have always said.

Until now, it was thought the four-yearold was left with just her brother and sister, two-year-old twins Sean and Amelie, while the adults went to eat in a nearby tapas bar in the resort of Praia da Luz.

Police sources told Portuguese newspaper 24 Horas they had significant evidence that a total of seven children had been in the McCann’s apartment.

The McCanns’ spokesman Clarence Mitchell denounced the latest claims as part of a deliberate smear operation.

He said: ‘It’s utter rubbish. If you put seven children together, you’re going to have a far harder time getting them to sleep than three.

The theory emerged as one of Portugal’s most senior detectives took charge of the case. Paulo Rebelo is a senior investigation co-ordinator at national police HQ.